Omega-3 and vitamin E mix shows potential for autistic speech

A combination of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E may lead to speech improvements in autistic children with verbal disorders.

The U.S. researchers recruited 187 children with verbal apraxia who had received vitamin E plus polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation. Following supplementation, 181 families (97%) reported “dramatic improvements in a number of areas”, said the researchers. These included speech, behavior, eye contact, and other sensory issues.

Verbal apraxia is not only a speech disorder but rather a complex syndrome that affects a person’s neurologic function. A subgroup of children is characterized by autism, sensory issues, low muscle tone, food allergy, coordination problems, and impaired gastrointestinal function. The presence of multiple allergies and intestinal problems are associated with nutritional deficiencies including vitamin E, omega-3, and carnitine.

Work is ongoing in this area, with the a clinical study and protocol designed to continue to understand the impact omega-3 and vitamin E have on autism and verbal apraxia, and to begin to determine the underlying mechanisms in verbal apraxia. (1)

1. Morris C. R., Agin M. C. Syndrome of allergy, apraxia, and malabsorption: Characterisation of a neurodevelopmental phenotype that responds to omega-3 and vitamin E supplementation. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, 2009; 15(4):34–43.